Drive mechanism and control therefor



y 1950 P. E. GELDHOF ET AL 2,508,601

DRIVE MECHANISM AND CONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Sept. 28, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l e Ai /Mae JZVQ W E y 1950 P. E. GELDHOF ETAL 2,508,601

DRIVE MECHANISM AND CONTROL THEREFOR 7 Original Filed Sept. 28, 19 5 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 jig? Z man 2 UPS P5728 [004420 654 lay-Hie .e/flme *M zs, 1959, --P;E.-GELDHOF *ET'AL' 2,508,601

DRIVE MECHANISM AND CONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Sept. 28, 1.945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 f-llllll ll am III III?" PM"? WW [RVEHZUFE 6x362 Eduard GTgZd/zg L zit/ear [Zinger Patented May 23, 1950 DRIVE MECHANISM AND CONTROL THEREFOR Peter Eduard Geldhof and Luther Ringer, St. Joseph, Mich., assignors to Nineteen Hundred Corporation, St. Joseph, Mich., a corporation of New York Original application September 28, 1945, Serial No. 619,192. Divided and this application June 27, 1947, Serial No. 757,528

3 Claims.

This" invention relates to a drive mechanism and control therefor, and more particularly, to a drive and control mechanism for washing machines or the like.

This application is a division of our copending application for Control mechanism for washing machine, U. S. Serial No. 619,192, filed September 28, 1945, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

One of the principal applications of the present invention is to domestic or household washing machines which are completely automatic in their operation of the washing, rinsing and drying of clothing or other articles to be cleansed. In machines of this general class, means is provided for pumping fluid from one location to another, or for pumping fluid out of the machine. One of the principal features and objects of the present invention is to provide a method and means for driving the pump for controlling the driving thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel control mechanism which is economical to manufacture, rugged and reliable in use and substantially free from noise and'vibration.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel control mechanism for washing machines or the like.

Another and further object of the present invention is to provide a novel method and means for connecting a motor in driving relation with a pump.

Another and still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive mechanism and a novel control mechanism therefor.

The novel features which we believe to be characteristic of our invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Our invention itself, however, both as to its manner of construction and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of control mechanism embodying the novel principles and teachings of the present invention as attached to a Washing machine of the type described and claimed in our copending application entitled Automatic washing, rinsing and drying machine, U. S. Serial No. 491,618, filed June 21, 1943, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the control mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower portion of Figure 1 showing the control mechanism in its position where the pump is being driven by the driving belt of the motor;

Figure 4 represents a plan view showing a gear crank and segment drive mechanism for effecting a reciprocating motion of a shaft; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation view of the pump bar mechanism and its arrangement for enabling selectivity of engagement.

Referring now to the various figures of the drawings, there is illustrated therein one embodiment of the control mechanism for an automatic washing, rinsing and drying machine. All of the mechanism of the washing machine to which the control mechanism is applied is illustrated in the various figures of the drawings. While it is not necessary for a full understanding of the invention to illustrate the entire automatic washing machine, reference may be had, if desired, to applicants copending application for Automatic washing, drying and rinsing machine, U. S. Serial No. 491,618, filed June 21, 1943, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

-As shown in the drawings herein, the main motor shaft ID of the washing machine is arranged to drive through a belt II a plurality of driven members I2, I3 and I4. The motor shaft I0 carries a drive pulley I5 around which the belt II extends. The driven member I2 is mounted on a main shaft I6 of the gear case II, while the driven member I4 is arranged to drive the basket of the automatic washing machine by a rim drive with the upper surface of the outer marginal portion of the driven member I4. As is common practice in many types of automatic washing machines, the agitator shaft I8 extends up through the driven member I4 but is not connected therewith. For the purposes of the present invention, it is simply necessary to state that the agitator shaft I8 is arranged to be oscillated by mechanism contained within the gear case I! from the driven shaft I6 to which the pivot member I2 is rigidly secured.

As will be clearly observed from an inspection of Figure 1 of the drawings, the drive belt II is in direct engagement with the drive pulley I5 and the driven members I2 and I4, and for that reason, the driven members I2 and I4 are rotating at all times that the motor shaft I0 is rotating. The driven member I3, however, is normally slightly out of direct engagement with the drive belt I I and under normal circumstances is, therefore, not being driven by the drive belt I I. This driven member I3 is mounted and secured to the pump shaft I9 of the pump 20. The belt II is claimed in our copendinggappli'cation,jse'rialilfilo.

491,618 above referred to, a floating base of spider is provided upon which substantially all of the operating mechanism of the wa'sh ing inachine' 1 is mounted. This floating "base or "sp'ider is illustrated in Figure 2 by the reference character 22. A plurality of bosses 23 are formedpnathe undersurface of the floating base 22 and from athe e oss e 3 pl r l ty up erii erm rm and 28 aredimensioned to; egtend-down-rintp supede cribed.

pcentriiugal pump; I is; mounted -t othe; gear lth sup r i arms :29 H 1 provided with.anqintakefhosefill anda discharge hose 3 I.

l .li z ummdm wh h: m y a tan ;.suitab1 typeor kind, such, for exan ple -as a vane ype 7 3.33 Thisgpump 103s T e ot m show s nort d.zfrvo.

t eg 1 ca b t s; d e ;sun qr d n t iloating, b ase orspider '2-2 by means of; a;. bracket --32.-th mo bei gse r d by m an f 9 t$ to ithe; bracket;32, while the bracket; 32 is;.secured Y -.-to the floatin baseby meansofbolts onsecuring ins 34 (see Figure 1).

, Theflselective control mechanismxfor .for'o'ing "t e ri -pulle either- 1 12. ev ed s mea s for resiliently pressing the idler pulley 2 l against the, drive belt;- Ill to' force thea-latter into. driving engagement withzthe; member 13.

This. means ezi cl d ana s e ;a miwhich e ive e zmqiii zed .on 1-a,-,.cyli ndrical portion 36 of;.-.,-the idepengi in stud rgar 2 ::Thi i r anai;

apin 39.- A second armi iilmfgenerally ueshaped nsverse egress-s ectional; coni lguration is also l p ta yimoun d n theic lindri al; pei ti efi .f-lof the. sam t zz to m hitrl a m rifle-moun ..ed. igThegopemportion of:the U of each lot} the ;arms :35; and i411 face each oth nan -zh l altcgmexpression sprin 4! i .mo n dthere ne yery abolt g42. {This compression spring 4| normally -fo ces ifthe taiLportiong 43'; of g the; 31111 535. away frorn jthe v the spring 1. 4 I; tends;- to rntategthe arm clockwise direction, about-gatheshaft 5 fefolfces the i dler-p 2 l ;-'ag ainst;.,-the l belt I vl move-theidleri linto and outof engagement-with 7 .smain; bodyiportion of: thezarm -glfl.

If extending finger=44 is;heid againstgmoyement,

3 his .iforcingthe belt-4| into-drivingengagement' :ith jthe wheel lflyseeured-to-the piJm shaft 'JBUwIt wil1,;therefore, be seen thatin .orderto selectively warthe belt H toforceethe; latter; ihto andgont of @drivin en a ement: W h-t z;must be,providedfonmovin e ld mea tendin -fin ortion=44ofzthe member 0. h

almouraforesaid;.pongndineeanp getio ,gfier as a main No. 491,618, power for operating various control mechanisms is obtained from an arm which is se ured to the segment shaftof the gear box and 1 venirgm'gthe mainia five} through a crank mechanism. The details of construction of the means by which this arm is operated are shown in Figure 4. The arm 45 is mounted on the seglimenti bhaft'flfienf the gear box I1 and is oscilefited back and forth preferably through an angle tely fiflf by gear crank 16 which is 'onat the end of shaft I6 and a f r ives a gear Segment arm 46' mounted qngsgiiient shaft 46. The oscillating translated to shaft 46 by reason of the segment arm 46 being con- Z v enter point on gear 16 through "a'cr" nk"'arm10Z"'The arm 45 is provided with a .pairnotaelectric solenoids 41 and 48, whose plungers 49 andifl, respectively, are arranged to selec- .eeea eath i e ii-ens? rarese ir to em.len taui ebe k e t h ,mit'e g t ce. i

As' may be seen e her a rlz e: .-neic ei-q P -l j eis e'a -theme ?.m v ethe1.-

r edge of the notch 53 into the slatfikther by Lamwm ne -t e-1 M?sev e fi T aam di zed eand m it .po .r rez wh a a e Th stand red .5 Yia F-I t-will .driv mechanisrn-fm rotat' th gclgthesbasketmf athewaehinsamaeh w n.

.1.rnatig,washingqnaehine,to ainter elatejtheiop a- 49 tion of the pump and the agitator iinsuch. g m'anner;;that.he pump is; connected ;whenever the so b .T zbarf l; pena ised-twe e mqr aba k e forth by the oscillating arm 45. When .th solenoid 41 ;deen ergized,,;the bar 5 l is, ..in ts ire'ar sew 14sener d ;.-tion :a s ,.s hpwh;in r e and meet linesdn -;E: u e-et eed awi l e t @1435?- e. se 21 -fi urefietha-ia e dend fit abar l i forward position, and.ingth-is.position .i

Qted pmadrivinerigaeementivitn.tri m m nected to the bar 5|. More particularly, a link 59 is connected to the end of the bar 5| and held in place by means of a cotter pin 66. The other end of the link 59 is pivotally connected to the finger 6| of a member 62. The member 62 is pivotally mounted on a cylindrical end portion 63 of the stud 21. The member 62 is of generally U-shaped transverse cross-section, and in addition to the finger 5| includes a second finger portion 62', which lies in a higher plane than the plane in which the finger 6| lies. The finger 62' is pivotally connected as at 64 to another link member 65. The other end of the link member 65 is pivotally connected as at 66 to the extending arm or finger 44 of the member 46.

As the bar 5| moves from its rear position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to its forward position as shown in Figure 3, the link arm 59 forces the member 62 in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot 63. Since there is no relative movement between the finger portions 6| and 62', the countar-clockwise movement of the finger portions GI and 62' forces the member 40 to move in a clockwise direction about its pivot point 36 through the link connection 65. nection 65 is, of course, necessary due to the fact that the members 62 and 49 move about different centers.

The clockwise movement of the member Ml about the pivot point 39 moves the member 35 in a clockwise direction about the same pivot point 36 through the spring connection 4|. The clockwise movement of the member 35 about the pivot point 36 forces the idler 2| against the drive belt II, thus forcing the drive belt into driving connection with the wheel l3 secured to the impeller shaft l9 of the pump 29. It will thus be understood that when the bar BI is in its forward position, the pump is being driven by the drive belt II, and the agitator is disconnected due to the fact that the rod 58 is in its upper position. Conversely, when the bar 5| is in its rear position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and in full lines on Figure 5 of the drawings, the link 59 is in its retracted position and the member 35 has withdrawn the idler from engagement with the drive belt thus disengaging the pump. Also in this position, the agitator is engaged due to the fact that the rod 58 is in its lower position, as explained above.

From the above description, it will be apparent that an extremely satisfactory and simple control mechanism has been provided for an automatic washing machine, and particularly, a simple control mechanism for the pump. It will further be observed that by tying in the pump control with the agitator control through direct mechanical means, the operation of the pump is assured at all times that the motor is on and the agitator disconnected. It is furthermore assured that the pump itself is disconnected when the agitator is in operation.

While we have shown a particular embodiment of our invention it will, of course, be understood that we do not wish to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made and we, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. A selectively rotatable drive comprising a wheel to be driven, a drive member located in proximity to said wheel and having motion with respect thereto in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of said wheel, a pivotally The link con-,

mounted member having means thereon engageable with said drive member for moving said drive member into driving engagement with said Wheel, a second pivotally mounted member mounted for movement about the same pivot point as said first pivot member, and resilient means disposed in a position a relatively short distance away from said pivot and extending between said first and second pivot members, said second pivot member being selectively movable and the movement thereof being resiliently transmitted to said first pivot member to resiliently urge said drive member into driving engagement with said Wheel.

2. A selectively rotatable drive comprising a wheel to be driven, a drive member located in proximity to said wheel and having motion with respect thereto in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of said wheel, a pivotally mounted member having means thereon engageable with said drive member for moving said drive member into driving engagement with said wheel, a second pivotally mounted member mounted for movement about the same pivot point as said first pivot member, a third pivotally mounted member having a pivot point spaced from the pivot point of said first and second pivot members, a link connecting said second and third pivot members, resilient means disposed in a position between said pivot points and extending between said first and second pivot members, and means for selectively moving said third pivot member, whereby movement thereof is resiliently transmitted to said first pivot member to force said drive member against said wheel to drive the same.

3. A control mechanism for a selectively rotatable drive comprising a member to be rotated, a drive member located in proximity to said rotatable member and having motion with respect thereto in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of said rotatable member, a pivotally mounted member having means thereon engageable with said drive member for moving said drive member into driving engagement with said rotatable member, a second pivotally mounted member mounted for movement about the same pivot point as said first pivot member, a third pivotally mounted member having a pivot point spaced from the pivot point of said first and second pivot members, a link connecting said second and third pivot members, resilient means extending between said first and second pivot members, a pivotally mounted actuating means, means for reciprocating said actuating means about its pivotal mounting, a connecting means arranged to be moved in a direction corresponding substantially to its longitudinal dimensions, means associated with said actuating means for selectively shifting the position of said connecting means, said third pivot member being connected to said actuating member, whereby movement of said actuating member selectively moves said drive member into and out of driving engagement with said rotatable member.

PETER EDUARD GELDHOF. LUTHER RINGER.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 284,579 Germany May 31, 1915 

